ST. PETERSBURG — Former Arizona State coach Pat Murphy has reached the pinnacle of MLB as a manager, leading the Milwaukee Brewers to their first-ever World Series championship.
THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS ARE 2026 WORLD SERIES #CHAMPIONS!
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— MLB (@MLB) October 29, 2026
The best-of-seven championship series went to five games, with the Brewers winning four against American League champion Tampa Bay Rays. They closed out the series with a 4-1 win over the Rays Wednesday, etching their names in history as World Series champions for the first time.
Milwaukee was the best team in baseball this year, posting a 103-win season and winning the National League Central Division for the fourth consecutive season. On their way to the title, Murphy and the Brewers took down the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series and, finally, Tampa Bay in the World Series.
Oct 24, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby (26) celebrates with catcher William Contreras (24) after earning a save against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning in game two of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
After joining the organization as a bench coach in 2016, Murphy took charge of the club ahead of the 2024 season, replacing former manager Craig Counsell. Since then, the former ASU coach has led the Brewers to multiple winning seasons and three division titles. Murphy also won the NL Manager of the Year award in 2024 and 2025.
Murphy’s success in Milwaukee builds on a coaching career that took shape here in the Valley.
March 13, 2004; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Pat Murphy against the Tulane Green Wave at Packard Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-US Presswire
During his 15 seasons at Arizona State, Murphy had a 629-284-1 record, won four Pac-10 titles and led the Sun Devils to four College World Series appearances, including a trip to the 1998 national championship game.
Murphy’s final three seasons were among his best, as Arizona State won three consecutive Pac-10 championships from 2007-09. In his final season, ASU finished 51-14 and placed third at the College World Series. Murphy was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year four times during his tenure.
Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy celebrates on the podium after defeating the against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Now, with a World Series championship to his name, the former Sun Devils coach has reached a milestone that further cements his place among the game’s top managers.
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
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